Grieving stars jet to Thai funeral of football boss
LEICESTER City players arrived in Thailand yesterday for the funeral of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha – just hours after playing in the Premier League.
The team were determined to be at the commemoration for both “him and his family” and flew out after winning 1-0 at Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.
They paid their respects at the Bangkok temple where 61-year-old Mr Vichai’s body was kept and were set to remain in the country for 36 hours following the 6,000 mile-trip.
Players including Jamie Vardy, 31, and Harry Maguire, 25, alongside Foxes’ manager Claude Puel, 57, were pictured during the service with the chairman’s son Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, 33.
Buddhist bathing rituals and recitation formed part of the ceremony to celebrate his life as mourners gathered to pay their respects.
Thai royalty, dignitaries and sporting figures turned out as the seven-day funeral procession began in memory of the billionaire businessman who lost his life in a helicopter Demarai Gray’s tribute on shirt crash outside the King Power Stadium. Both sets of fans at the Cardiff match observed a minute’s silence a week on from the tragedy. Floral tributes were laid upon the pitch as the teams and coaching staff gathered in the centre circle. Leicester supporters carried flags, banners and T-shirts to mark the man who helped bankroll the side and saw their fortunes transformed into Premier League title success in 2016. Players also wore T-shirts bearing the late chairman’s picture ahead of the clash. Goal scorer Demarai Gray, 22, removed his jersey to reveal an undershirt showing the words For Khun Vichai. But match official Lee Probert booked the player for taking off his club shirt. Fans online were upset by the action. But Puel accepted that football rules had to be followed by the referee. Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, 57, said that people thought the incident should have been overlooked by the referee, adding “perhaps he should have”. Speaking after the match, club captain Wes Morgan, 34, said: “We were very close to the chairman.”